This invention relates to a device and a process for retrofitting a printer which has a cartridge receiving device for holding interchangeable consumable material cartridges.
The existing art discloses printers, especially inkjet printers, in a host of different embodiments. For supply with consumable material, generally interchangeable disposable consumable material receptacles, so-called consumable material cartridges are used, for example ink cartridges. These consumable material cartridges are inserted for operation into cartridge receiving devices in the printer. When such a cartridge is empty, it is removed from the cartridge receiving device, disposed of, and replaced by a filled cartridge.
Especially ink cartridges for ink supply of inkjet printers are common as such interchangeable disposable consumable material cartridges. Generally they have a housing which is made for attachment in the corresponding receiver of a printer. In the housing of the ink cartridge the actual ink reservoir is an individual or several ink receptacles which can be filled with various inks. Each ink receptacle has an ink outlet opening for detachable connection to the ink supply connection of the printer. In this way ink is supplied to the printer in operation. When the ink contained in the ink receptacle has been used up, the empty ink cartridge can simply be removed from the receiver, and replaced by a full ink cartridge. The empty ink cartridges are either disposed of or refilled with ink for re-use.
Generally different types of printers have differently made cartridge receiving devices, i.e. generally compartments or shafts into which the ink cartridges can be inserted. They differ especially in shape and dimensions and in fastening means with which the cartridges are fastened in the printer. In this way a printer can be operated only with the consumable material cartridges of the respective printer manufacturer for the respective printer type.
In addition, cartridges for different printer types also differ from one another by electronic and mechanical identifications and keys. In part this differentiation of consumable material takes place preferentially for the purpose of tying the user of the printer to the exclusive use of the consumable material of the respective printer manufacturer which is suited in each case.
In this way a correspondingly large number of different consumable material cartridges must be kept ready; this means high production costs and also entails a correspondingly high cost for transport and storage.
In view of the problems explained above in the existing art, it is an object of the invention to reduce costs for production, transport and storage.